The Official Blog of the Gwinnett Braves, Triple-A Affiliate of the Atlanta Braves.

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BB: “I feel good, you know. It was fun. It was nice to be out there in a real game with fans in the seats and be able to compete.”

How did you feel? Were you unsettled at first at all? Did you settle in at all?

BB: “A little uncomfortable I would say. Just a little out of rhythm, out of sync, I would find it. What usually takes a batter or a pitch or two, it’s taking three batters or four pitches to make the adjustments. But, that’s going to come, the feel is going to come as I get more comfortable out there. The speed of the game is a lot quicker than the bullpen I have been throwing, so I have to slow myself down a little bit and that will help out my rhythm. I have to stay back on my back side a little bit and that will help out a lot.”

It (feel for the game) pretty much goes hand-in-hand with the command issues?

BB: “I feel good about it. I physically felt strong. I felt good. Like I said, I threw a lot of quality pitches, and at times it would get away, were normally it’s a quicker adjustment, it took me a lot longer to get going. It’s something I have to fight through and really focus on slowing myself down, controlling my breathing and that will help me make the adjustments quicker.”

What was your reaction, feelings about sitting down and coming back out in-between innings?

BB: “I felt really good, that’s something that has been in the back of my mind. How I would respond to the time between innings, but it didn’t tighten up on me or anything like that. It felt really good physically. I couldn’t be any happier with how it felt.”

Command issues aside, how did you feel about velocity, movement?

BB: “I don’t know about velocity, they weren’t really teeing off on my fastball when I was throwing it for a strike, so judging by the swings that is not an issue. Some of the pitches were good, threw a couple good changeups, a couple good sliders, and I threw a handful of bad ones too. It’s all a part of that rhythm, repetition and just being comfortable.”

Is this what you expected for your first time out?

BB: “I really don’t know what to expect. Going up against Triple-A hitters for four innings and not having faced guys in weeks. I guess, I’m happy with it, not knowing what was going to happen. Of course, I want to go out there and not give up a hit, not give up a run, but that’s just part of the process.”

What adjustment will you make between now and your next outing?

BB: “I’ll watch it on tape. I’ll check out the film and I can already tell you what I will see on a lot of them. It’s just rushing down the mound, not sitting back on my back side and getting my weight shifted quite long enough, and that’s causing me to hang some off-speed pitches and throwing some fastballs right into the dirt, and be non-competitive at times with pitches and getting counts where I’m digging myself in holes. However, that’s all fixable and it’s something I should have expected.”

How important was it to limit damage in the 2nd and 4th innings?

BB: “Yeah, I guess. Being in a situation with guys on base that’s something you can’t simulate in the bullpen. I think I did a pretty good job of calming down. I walked a few guys, but it was in situations where I had a bases open and I knew that. I was trying to work on stuff, I threw pitches that I wouldn’t normally throw in that situation just to get them in, and I felt I need to work on and I needed to throw. But, a lot of times they did not work out for me and I didn’t execute them. Those are things I will need to have eventually, so I might as well start working on them now.”

Will you stay on the same schedule (make another start in five days)? Will your pitch count increase?

Gwinnett enters the series losing three of their last four. In their last series against Louisville, they were outscored 22-17 and fell to last place in the South Division.

Hitting-
Jose Constanza continues to close in on his 22-game hitting streak from last season. He currently has hit in 18 straight games, hitting .380 (27-for-71) during that span. He has raised his average to .284 (33-for-116) after starting the season at .163. He is tied for third in the International League in triples (3)… Joey Terdoslavich enters the series leading the league with 19 doubles. In 2011, he set the Carolina League All-Time mark with 52 doubles…

Pitching-
Brandon Beachy highlights the pitching staff for the weekend. The 26-year-old pitcher was added to the Gwinnett roster by Atlanta on May 19 and was supposed to start that night against the Louisville Bats, but the game was postponed by rain. He has yet to pitch in a live game on his rehab stint. Before suffereing the injury, Beachy was tied for the Major League lead with a 1.98 ERA and led the Majors with a .171 opponent batting average.

Toledo enters the series with the worst record in the International League. They have struggled away from home, posting a 4-18 record. They are currently 17 games behind the front-running Indianapolis Indians in the West Division.

Batting-
Jordan Lennerton leads the Mud Hens attack. The first baseman leads the team in hitting (.327), RBI (26) and second in homers (7). He enters the series with the ninth highest batting average in the International League and is third with a .438 on-base percentage… Nick Castellanos, the Detroit Tigers No.1 prospect according to Baseball America, leads the league in games played (47). He is starting to come around at the plate, hitting .253 (47-for-186) with five homers and 23 RBI.

Pitching-
Toledo possesses the second best ERA in the league, but has only 15 wins to show for it. In 424.1 innings pitched, they have allowed 161 earned runs. Bruce Rendon anchors the back end of the pen. He owns a 0-1 record with a 0.54 ERA. He has converted nine of 10 save opportunities. Jose Alvarez has been the Mud Hens most effective starter. The southpaw leads the team in strikeouts (55) and is second on the squad with 54.2 innings pitched. He will get the ball in game two against the Beachy.

The G-Braves finished off their current road trip on a sour note, as they dropped the finale in Pawtucket 5-4. After leading 4-0 through 6 ½ innings, the Red Sox scored five unanswered runs to clip the Braves. Bryce Brentz ended it in dramatic fashion, as he hit a walk-off three-run homer against Wirfin Obispo to clinch it for the PawSox. The Braves did finish a nice road trip though, going 4-4 and snapping their 14-game losing skid.

Hitting- Joey Terdoslavich enters the fold hitting .327 (54-for-165) with seven dingers and 26 RBI. He leads the International League in doubles (15), is second in hits (54) and four in extra base-hits (23). In four games against the Bats in 2013, he is hitting .438 (7-for-16) with a homer and two RBI… Jose Constanza increased his hitting streak to a league-high 13 games last night. After a dismal start, he has caught fire of late, raising his average to .275 (28-for-102). He is tied for third in the IL with three triples.

Pitching-
The Braves staff ranks ninth in the league in ERA with a 4.04 mark. However, their biggest concern has been free passes. They lead the league with 186 walks and have hit a league-high 24 batters. It has not served well at the end of games, as the Braves have six blown saves… RHP Brandon Beachy will make a rehab start on Sunday afternoon for the G-Braves. He will make his first professional appearance since undergoing “Tommy John” Surgery in 2012. He is slated for the 2:05 PM start on Sunday.

G-Bites-
The Braves are currently tied for third place in the South Division and are 13.5 games back of the Norfolk Tides.

Louisville Bats
The Bats have not enjoyed the 2013 campaign either. They hold a 20-22 mark and are currently 9.5 games back of the Indianapolis Indians in the West Division. Louisville is on a two-game losing streak and is 5-5 in their last 10.

Hitting-
Felix Perez leads the offense, hitting .308 (45-for-146) with five homers and 25 RBI. The outfielder has been exceptional with men in scoring position, posting a .313 (10-for-32) clip with one homer and 20 RBI… Fellow outfielder Billy Hamilton has been the beneficiary of the production, as he leads the squad in runs scored (21). The speedster also leads the IL in stolen bases with 21. Last season, he set the Minor League record by amassing 155 bags in his stints with High-A Bakersfield and Double-A Pensacola.

Pitching-
The Braves will miss the overpowering Tony Cingrani (1-0, 0.00 ERA) in the series. The left-hander is not scheduled to pitch this weekend. However, they will have their hands full with right-handers Greg Reynolds and Chad Reineke. Reynolds comes into the series a perfect 3-0 with a 2.92 ERA. Saturday will be his first start of the season against the Braves. On the other hand, Reineke faced the Braves at home on 4/25. He was sharp, hurling 7.0 innings of shutout baseball. He did not factor in the decision, as his team dropped the game 1-0. On the season, he is 3-3 with a 4.10 ERA.

Bat Sounds-
The Bats dropped three of four at home against the G-Braves in April. However, they hold the all-time mark at 16-15.

Tuesday is “Boston Strong Night” at Coolray Field, as every ticket sold via the online link gwinnettbraves.com/boston using the promo code STRONG, $5 will be donated to OneFundBoston.org, benefitting the victims of the Boston Marathon tragedy. Atlanta Falcons and former Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan, former Boston Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek, former New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison and former Boston Celtics guard Dee Brown will all be guests of the G-Braves as they throw out ceremonial first pitches.

In honor of Boston STRONG night at Coolray Field we will center today’s blog on fun facts about the Boston Braves. The team became known as the Boston Braves in 1912 after going through various names in a five year span. The name would stick until the Braves moved to Milwaukee in 1953.

From Last to First- In 1914, the Braves had one of the most memorable seasons to date. After starting the season 4-18 and entering July 4th with the worst record in the league (26-40), the Braves reeled off 43 wins in 56 tries to finish first in the league. They are the only team to win a pennant after being in last place on the Fourth of July. They won the World Series despite being heavy underdogs against the Philadelphia A’s, sweeping them and being the first team in modern history to sweep a World Series.

Fenway Park- The monumental park has been the Boston Red Sox’s home park since it broke ground in 1912… However, to accommodate for the excess crowds during their historic run in 1914, the Boston Braves used the park to field their last games and the World Series.

The Babe Returns to Boston– After being dealt away by the Boston Red Sox, Babe Ruth was purchased by Emil Fuchs in 1935, becoming player, Assistant Manager and Vice President of the Boston Braves. With his skills diminishing, Ruth wanted a way to transition to a career in baseball once his playing career was over. Fuchs wanted to sell more tickets, so the move was great on paper for both, and Ruth was acquired from the New York Yankees. The move did not pan out, as Ruth retired on June 1–only six days after he hit the last three home runs of his career. It remains one of the most memorable afternoons in baseball history. The Braves finished the season 38-115 in 1935.

Dynamic Duo- Dealing with poor seasons for decades, the Braves were revived in the late 40’s behind the brilliant duo of Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain. In 1948, the hurlers won a combined 39 games and lead the Braves to a World Series appearance. They lost in six games to the Indians.

Milwaukee- The World Series appearance would be the last hurrah in Boston, as their fate change again. Amid four more mediocre seasons, on March 13, 1953, owner Lou Perini, announced he was moving the team to Milwaukee, where the Braves had their top farm club, the Brewers.

Gwinnett- The G-Braves are currently on an eight-game losing streak. Their slide has dropped them to third in the division and a whopping 8.5 games back in the South standings. After getting back to 12-11, the Braves have been swept by the Indianapolis Indians (21-10) and Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (17-11)in the last week.

Hitting-Joey Terdoslavich continues to hit. The outfielder is ninth in the IL in batting average (.333), T-1st in hits (41), 1st in doubles (13), 1st in extra-base hits (19) and 1st in total bases (71). He has amassed multi-hit games in 12 of his last 20… Jose Constanza has been missing in action. Since extending his hit streak to 11 games on 4/28, the outfielder has not appeared in a contest…

Pitching-Poveda will take the ball in game one. In five starts, the right-hander is 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA. He is 5th in the IL in ERA, 3rd in WHIP (0.80) and 1st in batting average against (.136)… Rodriguez suffered a setback last time out, as he was roughed up for seven runs (6 ER) in 3 IP. Prior to the start, he tossed 14.1 scoreless frames. He gets the nod in Game 2… Gilmartin suffered his first loss of the season last time out, but he carried a no-hitter through the first six innings. He will pitch on Wednesday… Flande will toss the finale. The left-hander has moved from bullpen-to-starter well, posting a 1-2 record with a 4.19 ERA in four starts.

G-Bites- Infielder Tyler Pastornicky is set to return to the G-Braves lineup tonight, as he was optioned by the Braves last night.

Pawtucket

Hitting- The Pawtuket attack is led by Jackie Bradley Jr. After struggling in the MLB, Bradley Jr. has found his stroke in Triple-A. In 11 games, he is hitting .302 (13-for-43) with two doubles and four RBI… Bryce Brentz is the muscle in the middle of the lineup, leading the squad in homers (5) and RBI (20)… Jeremy Hazelbaker also has five dingers this season…

Pitching-De la Rosa takes the ball in the opener, the former LAD farmhand has struggled in 2013. He is 0-0 with a 7.11 ERA. He has limited hitters to a .229 batting average, but has walked eight in 12.2 IP… Seasoned Vet, Aceves gets the ball in Game 2. After being sent down by the big club, Aceves was sharp with Pawtucket, tossing six scoreless in a win last week… Baseball America’s No.4 ranked Boston prospect, Allen Webster will start on Wednesday. He has an impressive strikeout rate, as he has set down 26 hitters in 20 IP… Doyle gets the call on Thursday. The right-hander currently leads the team in innings (32.2), walks (18) and strikeouts (28)…

The Gwinnett Braves (8-10) failed to make it three in a row, dropping game three of the four-game set to the Charlotte Knights, 4-3 on Sunday afternoon in front of 6,676 at Coolray Field. The largest crowd of the 2013 season came out to see first baseman Freddie Freeman, as he took the field
in his final rehab start for the Gwinnett Braves.

Freeman went 0-for-2 with an HBP before leaving in the seventh to get on a plane and head to Denver, CO to meet the rest of his Atlanta teammates.

The G-Braves ended their current two-game winning streak, as Dusty Hughes (0-2) gave up the game-winner in the seventh inning. After giving up a single and retiring the next hitter, Hughes gave up two walks and HBP to allow a run to cross the plate, making it 5-4 Knights.

Offensively, the Braves could not get going against the Knights bullpen, as they threw five innings of shutout baseball. Deunte Heath (1-0) picked up the victory, while Ramon Troncoso recorded the save.

League Leaders:Tyler Pastornicky leads the league in hits (26)… Joe Terdoslavich leads the league in doubles (11), at bats (74) and total bases (46)… Ernesto Mejia rounds up the league leaders, as he leads the IL in homers (7) and RBI (20)…

The Gwinnett Braves (8-9) took to the road and get back on track, winning two straight over the Charlotte Knights. The G-Braves are back in town today, facing the Knights in a home-road split series, before they hit the road for eight straight games.

Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman is still with the G-Braves rehabbing from an oblique injury. Last night, the left-handed hitting Freeman went 5-for-5 with two doubles, two runs and two RBI in their 6-0 victory over the Knights. He will play first and hit third today, as he hopes to join the Braves roster tomorrow.

However, for today, he will be in the lineup and ready to go for the G-Braves, as they try and make it three straight victories. The Braves enter tonight’s contest in third place in the South Division and one game back of second-place Norfolk.

Sean Gilmartin (1-0) will take the ball for the G-Braves. So far, so good for Gilmartin, as he possesses a 1-0 mark with a 1.69 ERA. In his last start, he went seven Innings, allowing one unearned run and struck out won. He did not factor in the decision, as the bullpen blew a two-run lead in the ninth. This will be his second start against the Knights, as he pitched the opener on 4/5. He went five innings, allowing one run on six hits, while striking out four.

Gilmartin looks for his second Triple-A win and second straight quality start of the season.

The Knights enter the contest seven games back of Durham and on a four game losing streak. The team has struggled both offensively and on the mound. The hitters are 10th in the league in batting with a .238 batting average and are third to last in homers (9). On the mound, the Knights possess the third highest ERA in the league at 4.99.

Andre Rienzo (1-1) makes his fourth start of the season. He is 1-1 with a 7.16 ERA. In his lone start against the G-Braves, he went five innings, allowing four runs. He was credited with the loss.

The G-Braves won at home, again. The win pushed their record at Coolray Field to 5-0 in 2013. Despite their undefeated mark at home, the Braves check into tonight’s game with a 6-6 mark.

So what has been the difference?

Answer, pitching.

The Braves pitching staff has posted a 2.72 ERA at Coolray. The bullpen has been even sharper, tossing 16 innings, allowing seven runs, five earned and striking out the 22. It has resulted into a 2.03 bullpen ERA.

The trouble, however, has come on the road as the G-Braves have allowed a whopping 49 runs (41 earned) in 58.1 innings. Starters have been tagged for 29 runs in 28.1 innings, while averaging a little over four innings per start.

Last night, starter Daniel Rodriguez did not buck the trend, but he proved effective, tossing 4.2 innings, allowing three runs and striking out six. It was his best appearance of the season, as the Braves won in dramatic fashion in the eleventh. Rodriguez, who witnessed the birth of his first daughter over the weekend, seemed at ease in the start. His only hiccup came in the third, allowing three runs to score in the frame. The southpaw made adjustments throughout the night, utilizing his curveball to put down opposing hitters while attacking the zone with his fastball. He walked a season-high, but only one run proved to be costly as it came around to score on an RBI single by Russ Canzler.

The bullpen went back to its dominant ways, tossing 6.1 innings of one run baseball. Andrew Russell, who dropped two contests on the road, was sharp for the Braves. He pitched two scoreless to pick up the victory. He is another pitcher that has enjoyed the Lawrenceville surroundings, as he is yet to issue a run at Coolray Field. It’s ironic that the well-traveled Aussie has pitched better at home than around the rest of the International League.

The Braves Jekyll-and-Hyde ways will be tested again tonight. Luckily for the Braves, they will be at Coolray Field for the contest tonight.

The G-Braves head into tonight’s game tied for second in the South Division and two games back of the Durham Bulls (8-4). Former G-Brave Jair Jurrjens will match up against the Braves lineup. The former MLB All-Star has been sharp in his first two starts. In 11.1 innings, he is 0-1 with a 1.59 ERA. His command has been spotty, walking six, but he has limited hitters to a .128 batting average.

G-Braves Sean Gilmartin makes his third start of the year. He is going on five days rest, as his scheduled start last night was pushed back to make room for Rodriguez. The lefty will go for his second win of the season. Game time is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
Starting Lineups are listed below:

G-Braves Report-The Braves return home after dropping six of seven on the road… After their best start in franchise history, the Braves could not keep it going on the road, as the pitching staff allowed 49 runs in seven games… The drought has moved the Braves to third place in the South Division.

Hitters-Ernesto Mejia has been on fire of late, hitting four home runs in seven games. He currently leads the International League in home runs (6), RBI (12) and total bases (32). He is hitting well above the .300 mark, checking in with a .316 (12-for-38) batting average after 11 games… Tyler Pastornicky leads all G- Braves in batting, hitting .400 (18-for-45). His 18 knocks lead and is tied for first in doubles (5) through 11 games… Sean Kazmar checks in with a .310 batting average, one home run and 11 RBI. His RBI mark is second in the league behind Mejia.

Pitchers-The staff struggled on the road, giving up 49 runs on the trip… Omar Poveda was the only starting pitcher to get through five innings during the road trip. He tossed six scoreless on 4/8 and five innings of four-run ball on 8/13. He was not a part of either decision. He leads the squad in innings (11) and WHIP (0.82)… Reliever Andrew Russell had a rough week, blowing one save and losing twice. On the season, the Aussie is 0-2 with a 6.23 ERA… Today starter, Daniel Rodriguez has not had a good start to 2012. In two appearances, he is 0-1 with a 48.60 ERA.

G-Bites- The Braves are currently sixth in the League in hitting with a .271 (60-for-361) batting average. They are second in the league in homers (12)… However, they are 11th in ERA (4.98) and have allowed the second most runs in the league (60). Free passes have hurt the staff, as they have issued 49 in 11 games…

Norfolk Update-The Tides have been playing good ball of late. After dropping their first three contests, the Tides have won six of their last eight. They are currently on a three-game winning streak… The Tides swept the mini two-game set against the G-Braves this weekend…

Hitting-Russ Canzler is leading the Tides attack, the infielder is hitting .333 (14-for-42) with three homers and 10 RBI. He leads the Tides in every offensive category and is second in the IL with seven extra base hits, behind the G-Braves Mejia… Danny Valencia is off to a solid start, hitting .316 (12-for-38) with three doubles and six RBI…

Pitchers- The G-Braves were stifled last night by Norfolk’s top arm, Josh Stinson, as he hurled 6.2 innings of one-run ball, collecting his first win of the season. On the year, he is 1-0 with a 0.77 ERA. He has fanned 10 batters over 11.2 innings. He is fifth in the IL in ERA… Former G-Brave Jairo Asencio has been sharp in 2013, converting three of three save opportunities. He has tossed four scoreless innings, allowing four hits and striking out five. He leads the IL in saves…

Rolling With the TidesThe Tides have been playing well of late, winning three in a row. However, they will hit the road for an 11-game road trip starting tonight. So far in the early season, the Tides are 1-1 on the road, as they have played the bulk of their games at home.Norfolk Lineup
Pridie 8
Hoes 9
Canzler 5
Valencia 3
Ford DH
Robinson 7
Navarro 4
Schoop 6
Exposito 2
Clark 1

About the G-Braves:
The Gwinnett Braves are off to their best start in franchise history after sweeping the Charlotte Knights this weekend. The G-Braves came out of the gates hot, utilizing strong pitching and timely hitting to fend off the Knights. The staff allowed nine earned runs through 36 innings, while the hitters combined to hit .277 (31-for-112) with four home runs and 17 RBI.

Hitters:Tyler Pastornicky is 11th in the IL in hitting (.429) and is tied for ninth in hits (9). Last season, he hit .268 (41-for-153) with one home run and 20 RBI in 38 Triple-A Games. The infielder hit his only Triple-A home run against the Durham Bulls last year…. Jordan Parraz and Ernesto Mejia enter the weekday series tied for fourth in home runs (2). In 2012, Mejia hit 24 home runs… Catcher Jose Yepez led all returning G-Braves with a .340 (16-for-47) batting average against Durham in 2012…

Pitchers: The bullpen has been spot on in the early season, locking down four saves in four opportunities. The braves remain without a consistent closer, so four different players have tallied a save… Last season, Yohan Flande led all returning G-Braves with a 2-1 record and 1.78 ERA against the Bulls. He struck out 19 in five appearances (25.1 IP) against Durham.

Cheat Sheet: The G-Braves won the season series in 2012, 11-10 and lead the all-time series 44-41… The G-Braves roster carries four top prospects in the Atlanta Braves organization according to Baseball America, Sean Gilmartin (No.4), Todd Cunningham (No. 12), David Hale (No. 16) and Joe Terdoslavich (No. 19)… 2012 IL Champion Jose Constanza is off to slow start, hitting .100 (1-for-10) with four punch outs…

About the Bulls:
Durham is off to a solid start as well, winning three of their first four. The Bulls have done with strong pitching. Through four games, they lead the league in ERA (2.16) and runs allowed (8).

Hitters: Heralded prospect Wil Myers is off to a solid start, hitting .333 (4-for-12) with two doubles and three RBI… However, he is second on the team in strikeouts (4)… Former No.1 overall draft pick, Tim Beckham returns for another season with the Bulls. He is off to slow start, hitting .143 (2-for-14) with a team-high six strikeouts… The Bulls have been limited to one home run in four games, Brandon Guyer is the only player that has gone deep.

Pitchers:Chris Archer dazzled in his season debut, tossing five innings of one-run ball and striking out five. He is scheduled to throw game two of the series. Last year, he went 2-1 with a 5.74 ERA against the G-Braves… Jake Odorizzi makes his season debut on Monday night. Last season, he went 11-3 with a 2.93 ERA for the Omaha Storm Chasers. He was one of the prospects traded by the Kansas City Royals to the Tampa Rays for Wade Davis and James Shields.

Did You Know: The G-Braves went the whole 2012 season without a multi-homer game at Coolray Field. However, in the opening series, the G-Braves have had two players accomplish the feat, Mejia on Saturday and Parraz on Sunday.

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